1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to relatively flat protective enclosures having bottom walls with transparent central regions for displaying relatively thin collectible articles, works of art and the like by substituting the display enclosures for selected ceiling tile of the same size in the gridwork of a suspended ceiling. In preferred practice, the present invention relates to the provision and use of generally square or rectangular protective enclosures that match the generally square or rectangular ceiling tile panels of a suspended ceiling, wherein the enclosures have bottom walls with at least central regions thereof being transparent, and non-transparent top walls that cover at least the transparent central regions of the bottom walls to permit relatively flat articles to be protectively housed in spaces defined between the bottom and top walls for being displayed by substituting the enclosures for selected ones of the ceiling tile panels so as to be supported by the gridwork of the suspended ceiling.
2. Prior Art
Suspended ceilings have come into wide use not only in sizable rooms of public buildings but also in business offices and finished basements of fine homes. Such ceilings usually include a gridwork of metal members referred to as xe2x80x9cgrid barsxe2x80x9d that are configured to engage peripheral portions of ceiling tile panels to support the ceiling tile panels to extend substantially within a common plane of the ceiling. The grid bars usually include a first set of parallel extending bars that run between opposite end walls of a generally rectangular room, and a second set of parallel extending bars that run between opposite side walls of the room. The grid bars of the first and second sets intersect perpendicularly to define substantially square or rectangular openings that are populated by generally square or rectangular ceiling tile. Central regions of suspended ceilings of this type usually have grid squares or rectangles of a uniform size that are populated by ceiling tile of a corresponding uniform size.
In a suspended ceiling of the type described, the grid bars often have cross-sections that take the shape of an inverted letter xe2x80x9cT.xe2x80x9d The cross-bar of each inverted xe2x80x9cTxe2x80x9d extends substantially horizontally to define upwardly facing flange surfaces located on opposite sides of the stem of the xe2x80x9cT.xe2x80x9d These upwardly facing flange surfaces underlie peripheral portions of the ceiling tile panels to effectively xe2x80x9cperimetrically supportxe2x80x9d the ceiling tile panels with their bottom surfaces preferably extending substantially within a common plane.
While suspended ceilings of this type frequently are found in public buildings such as galleries, in business offices, and in recreation rooms of fine homes where wall surfaces often are utilized to mount displays of relatively thin collectibles or works of art such as pictures, paintings, plaques, movie posters, banners, sports jerseys, and other collectibles, memorabilia or works of art, little use tends to be made of the large, blank surface areas of the ceilings of these roomsxe2x80x94where similar articles of interest also could be displayed. Putting prized possessions xe2x80x9cup therexe2x80x9d where cigar and cigarette smoke and other pollutants may linger and collect just has not been an obvious step to take even though the availability of the sizable areas of ceilings for use as display surfaces has long been recognized.
As a result, while it is common enough to see a variety of temporarily hung banners, wind chimes and other kinds of decorative articles suspended by strings, wires and hooks from the grid bars of suspended ceilings; and while posters are sometimes found temporarily taped, tacked or pinned to the grid bars or tile panels of a suspended ceiling overlying the chairs and examination tables of dentists and doctors where patients are asked to lie on their backs during dental and medical procedures; about all of a more permanent nature that the grid bars of suspended ceilings are commonly utilized to support are xe2x80x9cexitxe2x80x9d signs or informational signs of the type found in drug stores, super markets and discount stores that are provided not as a xe2x80x9cdisplayxe2x80x9d but rather to guide customers to goods they desire to purchase.
Valuable collectibles such as unique football jerseys, vintage original movie posters, artwork such as paintings and the like have not, until now, been supportable xe2x80x9cup therexe2x80x9d in the gridwork of a suspended ceiling in a protectively enclosed manner that ensures preservation of integrity and maintenance of the value of such articles while also providing for their safe display.
The present invention addresses the foregoing and other needs and drawbacks of the prior art by providing relatively thin protective enclosures for containing and supporting relatively flat collectibles, works of art, and the like by positioning such articles in the thin enclosures so that the articles can be viewed through transparent bottom walls of the enclosures when the enclosures are substituted for selected ceiling tile panels of a suspended ceiling.
A feature of the present invention resides in the provision and use of protective enclosures that are xe2x80x9cclosedxe2x80x9d or otherwise constructed so as to minimize the circulation of ambient air (and the pollutants it may contain) through the display compartments where valued collectibles or works of art and the like may be positioned for display. Top and bottom wall members of the protective enclosures cooperate with each other, preferably at their peripheries, to define closed display compartments that can be accessed by effecting relative movement of the top and bottom wall members when access is needed to accommodate display changes and cleaning.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention a method of and means are provided for protectively displaying a relatively lightweight, relatively flat article in a room having a ceiling that is defined at least in part by a grid of support members that provide upwardly facing support surfaces that extend perimetrically about generally rectangular openings for underlying and supporting peripheral portions of generally rectangular ceiling tile sized to fit the openings. A particular one of the ceiling tile panels is selected to be replaced by a display container of corresponding size, and is removed from the ceiling. A relatively thin display enclosure is provided that has a bottom wall that defines a transparent window through which contents of the display enclosure can be viewed, and a top wall that overlies at least the region of the transparent window so that an article that is inserted therebetween will be protectively sandwiched by the top and bottom walls while being displayed for view through the transparent window. The display enclosure is substituted for the removed ceiling tile panel, with peripheral portions of the display enclosure being supported by the grid that previously supported the selected ceiling tile.